Luka Doncic scores 53 as Cavaliers beat 76ers in LeBron James's return

Luka Doncic delivered a spectacular 53-point performance to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 124-118 NBA Cup group-stage win over Portland on Friday. Meanwhile, LeBron James experienced a difficult homecoming in Cleveland as the Cavaliers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 119-95, ending the visitors' five-game winning streak.

The Lakers initially struggled against the Trail Blazers, falling behind by 16 points during the second quarter. However, Doncic hit a long-range shot from beyond the half-court line to close the first half, narrowing the gap to seven points and sparking a second-half resurgence. Portland managed to pull within four points in the closing minute, but a timely floater from Doncic helped secure the Lakers' fourth consecutive victory.

Doncic has now recorded at least 40 points in six of his previous seven appearances. He joins George Mikan, Kobe Bryant, and Elgin Baylor as the only Lakers to score 40 or more points in four straight regular-season matches. This game marked the 11th 50-point display of his career and his fourth with the Lakers, tying him with Mikan for the fourth most in franchise history. Regarding his performance, which included five assists and five rebounds, Doncic stated: “I’m having a lot of fun. Obviously playing basketball, it’s a lot of fun for me. It’s more [fun] when you play like this and when you win games.”

LeBron James, who joined the Philadelphia 76ers from the Lakers in June, faced a mixed reception during his return to Cleveland, receiving both cheers and some boos. The 41-year-old, competing in his 24th NBA season, was cheered again upon leaving the court late in the fourth quarter. It was an arduous evening for James, who managed only eight points on three-of-12 shooting, alongside seven rebounds, three assists, two steals, and six turnovers.

Joel Embiid also struggled for Philadelphia, missing all nine floor attempts and finishing with six points from free throws. Jaylen Brown led the 76ers with 20 points, but the Cavaliers maintained control, with Donovan Mitchell scoring 23 points and Evan Mobley adding 22. Cleveland outperformed Philadelphia on the boards, recording 56 rebounds to 42, despite playing without injured centre Jarrett Allen.

Reflecting on the loss, James noted: “I did not feel in a good rhythm offensively. We didn’t look like much offensively. We had a couple of spurts. We were able to cut [the deficit] to three in the third quarter. But too many turnovers on my behalf.”

Friday’s matches were part of the ongoing NBA Cup group-stage competition scheduled throughout November. The tournament will proceed to the quarter-finals on December 4-5 and the semi-finals on December 8-9, concluding with the final on December 11.

In other results, the Boston Celtics dominated the Charlotte Hornets with a 119-80 victory, hitting 24 three-pointers from 44 attempts. Jayson Tatum led all scorers with 34 points, including five three-pointers, as Boston led by as many as 46 points. Victor Wembanyama scored 30 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 124-109 win over the Sacramento Kings.

Additionally, the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 128-97, marking their 13th consecutive regular-season victory against them. Ajay Mitchell recorded a career-high 35 points, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 28 points for the Thunder, who led 71-49 at halftime despite the absence of injured starters Jaylen Williams, Cason Wallace, and Chet Holmgren.